Rolex

The original Oyster was launched by Rolex in 1926. It was the first waterproof watch in the world and was even worn by Mercedes Gleitze when she swam across the English Channel. In 1931, Rolex patented a self-winding movement following which they added the word ‘Perpetual’ to the name of the watch to signify the winding’s perpetuity. The watch went on to acquire a legendary status over the decades that followed in its various iterations and continues to be among the most popular luxury timepieces in the world. In 2016 Rolex launched the 39mm Oyster Perpetual with grey, blue and grape dials. Then in 2020 came the bright-coloured dials across various case sizes, various versions of which have been launched subsequently. The inspiration for these came from the popular lacquered dials found on 1970s Day-Date models. The new colours include coral red, candy pink, turquoise blue, green, and yellow. Indian celebs seem to be particularly enthralled by turquoise blue, red and pink   

Cricketers Virat Kohli, Mahindra Singh Dhoni, Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma all love the 41 mm turquoise blue Oyster Perpetual, with actor Harshvardhan Kapoor preferring the smaller 36mm version. Veteran actor Sanjay Dutt was seen with a green-dial version, while Virak Kohli has been spotted with multiple Rolex watches including the Cosmograph Daytona, Submariner, and more.

Patek Philippe 

Patek is one of the only Swiss luxury watch brands that are still not selling officially in India, but that hasn’t stopped Indian celebs from making the brand a big part of their collection, with the popular Nautilus and Aquanaut seeming to be their favourites. The Nautilus was created by the legendary watch designer Gerald Genta, and launched in 1976. It was an instant hit, becoming one of the most popular Patek watches of all time. The Aquanaut came in 1997, a sportier version of the Nautilus with a slight variation in the design and rubber straps. Even decades after their launch, these watches in their various forms are still highly in demand around the world including in India.  

Among those seen wearing a Nautilus include Shah Rukh Khan who wore one for Salman Khan’s party, business scion Anant Ambani at his engagement (wearing a custom diamond and emerald set version), and several other celebrities including KL Rahul at his wedding, AP Dhillon, RRR stars Jr. NTR and Ram Charan, Meezan Jafri, Akhil Akkineni, Virat Kohli and Dhanush. 

Among the Aquanaut fans include Shah Rukh Khan again, who wore one for his birthday, plus cricketers Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, and Shreyas Iyer.  

Audemars Piguet

Another timepiece from Genta’s stables, the watchmaker delivered a design inspired by diver’s helmets, which went on to become the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, one of the most iconic watches of the modern era. Released in 1972, it was characterised by an octagonal bezel secured by eight visible hexagonal gold screws, a visible water resistance gasket and the dial adorned with a blue tapisserie motif. Genta would later state that the Royal Oak was the masterpiece of his career.

Some Indian owners include Shah Rukh Khan who has been seen sporting two versions of the watch, a Perpetual Calendar at a cricket match in Dubai, and a Chronograph for the opening of NMACC. Arjun Kapoor was also seen with one at the NMACC opening, along with Dhanush at a film launch, Ram Charan, Naga Chaitanya, Yash, Virat Kohli, and industrialist Boopesh Reddy.

Vacheron Constantin

In 1977, the oldest continuously running watch company in the world made their first foray into luxury sports watches with the 222. Its direct descendant Phase 1 Overseas, designed by Vincent Kaufmann and Dino Modolo came in 1996 and was an immediate success. In 2004 came the Overseas Phase 2, which received a redesign in 2016.

Some high-profile Overseas fans include Dulquer Salmaan who was seen with an Overseas Dual Time, and Jr. NTR, who wore an Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton to the Oscars ceremony.  

Bulgari

In the 1970s, Gerald Genta designed the original Octo watch, later acquired by Bulgari in 2000. Initially known for high-end jewellery, Bulgari launched the Bulgari Octo in 2012, featuring an innovative octagonal flange on a round bezel, which became a big success. Two years later, they reached new heights with the Octo Finissimo, setting eight world records for its thin case and movements. In 2017, the Octo Roma was introduced, offering a slightly more affordable option with softer angles and a rounder shape. Both models have become modern icons, propelling Bulgari to the forefront of luxury watchmaking in less than a decade. Shah Rukh Khan was seen wearing an Octo Roma Flying Tourbillon during an IPL match, while cricketer Suresh Raina shared a picture of himself on Instagram with an Octo Roma Middle East Limited Edition.